


If Only My Kiss Could Break the Spell

by blackrose_17



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Amulet Fix-It, Established Relationship, M/M, Sam is Under a Spell, Season 8 Rewrite, Spells & Enchantments, merman Sam
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-24
Updated: 2017-02-24
Packaged: 2018-09-26 17:28:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 13,277
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9913202
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/blackrose_17/pseuds/blackrose_17
Summary: Losing Dean and Castiel and being left to deal with Lucifer haunting him the last thing Sam needed was a witch to cast a spell on him.Dean survived purgatory with the thought of coming back to Sam, but to return to find Sam missing and Crowley with the knowledge of where Sam was. Giving everything that they have done Dean never thought that a tail could be hot until he saw it on Sam.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This was written for the SPN Reverse Big Bang over on LJ and I lucked out to work with the wonderful dancing_adrift who created the most amazing art that I fell in love with the moment I saw it and she did double duty as beta for my story.  
> You can see the art post [here](http://dancing-adrift.livejournal.com/14212.html)

Sam Winchester thought there could be nothing worse than watching helplessly as his brother was torn to shreds by Hellhounds. That was still the worst, followed only by being trapped in the cage with Lucifer and Michael. But watching helplessly as his brother, his lover, his whole world was suddenly taken away from him, without any clues as to where he may have gone… well, it was certainly high on the list of worst experiences in Sam’s book.

So what do you do when the love of your life is missing?

Of course, if Dean heard him talking like that, his brother would roll his eyes at him and only Sam would see the smile that Dean would be fighting as he reminded him, _"No chick-flick moments."_

And for a second, Sam swore he could hear Dean's voice whispering in his ear as he reached out his hands towards him.

When it turned out that there was nothing but empty space next to him, Sam felt his throat closing up again as he fought back the tears.

For months Sam did nothing but search for Dean, trying desperately to find any trace of not only Dean but Castiel as well. But with the loss of Bobby, Sam didn’t have the resources that he once had. He also didn't have Bobby's support and that was what Sam missed the most. Not even when he went to Stanford had he been this alone. It was painful and hard. He needed Dean and he was at a loss of how to find him.

He also had the memories of Hell filling his head, and he couldn't tell what was real or not. There were days when he could hear Lucifer in his ear, whispering how much of a failure he was, how he was letting Dean down when his brother did so much to save him. And the worst part was Sam knew he was right, that by not being able to find Dean he was failing him.

It was wearing Sam down, Lucifer’s whispers in his head; it had been Dean by his side that kept the Devil silent, and as long as he’d had Dean the Devil couldn't win.

“I’m sorry girl; I know you must miss him as well.” Sam petted the Impala’s steering wheel. He knew people would think he’s crazy, but he could tell she missed Dean almost as much as he did. He didn’t belong behind her wheel - that was a spot reserved for Dean. “We will find him, I promise you.” Sam wouldn’t rest until he found Dean, no matter how long it took him.

The Impala let out a purr beneath him and Sam knew that she agreed.

* * *

 

 

Time can change things, and the longer Sam went on unable to find any way of knowing where Dean had ended up, the more he despaired. He was beginning to lose hope -  the hope that he would ever find his brother - and it didn't help that the more he failed, the stronger Lucifer's taunts got, the more they affected him.

"Aww look at poor little Sam so lost without big brother to hold his hand," Lucifer taunted from his spot on the bed as he watched Sam consider slamming his laptop closed as his lead once again turned up nothing.

Sam tried to block his voice out, but he could feel himself slipping further and further away from sanity. If it wasn’t for the uncertainty of knowing where Dean was…  Sam couldn’t give up until he knew for sure that Dean wasn't trapped somewhere - and if his brother was in Heaven, hoping that Sam wouldn't join him until his long life was over, well, Sam was going to have to disappoint him because he would be joining Dean sooner than he would like… _if_ he could determine that that’s where Dean actually was.

"Oh that's so cute; you, the Boy King and my destined vessel, actually believe that you are going to Heaven. Or that your brother would be there," Lucifer cooed.

Closing his eyes, Sam pressed down on the scar on his palm like Dean had told him to and counted to ten inside his head as he did his best to drown out Satan’s voice.

“That won’t work Sam,” Lucifer sing-songed as he watched Sam with glee in his eyes. “Without Dean around you are just _weak_ ,” Lucifer hissed as he moved from the bed to stand behind Sam before Sam could even blink. “Look at you Sam; what happened to the man who vowed to rip apart all of Hell to save his brother? You are pathetic.”

“You’re not real.” Sam refused to let Lucifer’s words get to him but he knew it was a losing battle.

“Oh, I’m very real Sam. Being reunited with Dean was just a dream; you’re still in the cage with me,” Lucifer purred against Sam’s ear.

“NO!” That was one of Sam’s greatest fears, still being trapped with Lucifer and Michael in the cage, away from Dean. He needed to get out, away from Lucifer. Snatching up his laptop, wallet, the bag he hadn’t bothered to unpack, and the keys to the Impala, he stormed out of the room.

“You can run Sam, but you cannot hide!” Lucifer shouted as he watched the door slam behind Sam. “He’ll be back.” There was nowhere for Sam to run that he couldn’t follow.

* * *

 

 

Behind the wheel of the Impala, Sam took a breath as he worked to calm himself down. He was finding it harder and harder not to let Lucifer’s taunts get to him. He wasn’t strong enough to face him on his own; he needed Dean back.

Sam would never be sure of what happened, but he figured that a combination of Lucifer’s taunting and being without Dean was pushing him over the edge. Since the moment Dean disappeared, Sam had been slipping further and further down a dark path, and that night something in him gave up. There was no trace of Dean no matter how hard he looked and he just kept hitting dead end after dead end.

Sam had passed his breaking point. Without Dean around it was getting harder and harder for him to drown out the Devil’s voice. Curling his fingers around the wheel of the Impala, Sam rested against the seat.

“I’m sorry girl, I just don’t know what to do anymore.” Sam could feel tears beginning to form in his eyes and he didn’t try to fight them back. He had already lived three times without Dean in his life; he couldn’t do it a fourth time. “I’m sorry girl, but I just can’t go on without Dean.”

Needing to put the motel far behind him, Sam pulled out of the parking lot with his foot pressed down hard on the pedal. He needed to escape. Without realizing it, Sam's foot pressed a little harder on the pedal as one thought overtook him.

He needed to be with Dean.


	2. Chapter 2

The moment he stepped through the portal, Dean Winchester couldn't keep the smile from his face as he took in the open night sky that the empty woods offered, and the moment the fresh air hit him Dean knew he was home. He wouldn't lie - there were times that he thought he would never step back on Earth again, but one thought kept him going.

He could be with Sam again.

And that was all that mattered to Dean, the one thought that kept him going during his time in Purgatory. There had been times he wanted to give up, that it got so tough, but knowing that he had Sam waiting for him gave him the strength to keep on moving. Purgatory had been hell. Okay, so it wasn’t really Hell as Dean had actually been there, but it was pretty damn close, so he felt safe to pass judgment over it.

But right now, that was behind him; he was nearly back with Sam and that was all that mattered.

Still, there was one thing he had to do before he could go looking for Sam; he first had to make a trip to Louisiana.

* * *

 

 

"This is going to hurt," Dean grumbled under his breath as he pulled out the knife that he had used throughout his time in Purgatory. Taking a deep breath, he moved the blade along the skin of his arm.

Dean would admit that it was awe-inspiring and a little creepy the way Benny’s soul lifted out of his arm above his grave. A smile tugged at his lips as Benny appeared; never in his wildest dreams did he think that he would have a vampire as a best friend.

_ ‘Sammy would be so jealous.’  _ A small smile tugged on Dean’s lips as he imagined the cute little scowl that would cross Sam’s face as he did his best to pretend that he wasn’t jealous that someone else had taken Dean’s attention away from him. Hell, Dean was the same way; there was a possessive side to him that hated the idea of having to share Sam with anyone else. Sam was his and he did not share. Same with Sam, only his little brother thought he hid it better, but Dean could read Sam like a book and he knew that he had a jealous streak to match his own.

“You’re thinking about your Sam again.” Benny had seen that look many times in Dean’s eyes, and there was only one person that could put that gleam there. He wasn’t going to lie and say he hadn’t flirted with Dean in the beginning - it had been so long since he’d seen something other than the monsters that ran wild there - and he had another kind of hunger surge through him that he had played with the idea of asking Dean if he wanted to blow off some steam another way. But from the moment Dean mentioned getting back to his Sammy before the foolish kid did something stupid, he knew that he was working with a man in love and no matter how tempted he might be he would never cheat.

“Damn right I am.” It had been too long since Dean had a taste of his Sam and he wondered if he would be able to hold back once he had Sam in his sights, long enough to prove who he was before he had Sam beneath him in celebration of his return.

Dean wasn’t much of a hugger, unless that person was Sam - then he loved and welcomed the feel of Sam in his arms - but given the hell that he and Benny had survived, he was willing to make an exception. He pulled the vampire into a quick hug - and wouldn’t Sam have something to say if he learned about that.

“Stay out of trouble; I would hate to have to hunt you down,” Dean warned as he pulled away from Benny with a pat on the back.

“I will, brother. Hopefully, we can meet up again with your brother. I'm really interested in meeting this Sam of yours.” Benny wanted to know about the man who’d captured the heart of Dean Winchester.

The possessiveness that he always felt when someone else talked about Sam flared up in Dean and it took all of his willpower and the reminder that Benny was a friend - and wasn’t interested in Sam like that - to keep from snapping at him. Still, he couldn’t help but give a little warning, “Just remember to keep your hands and mouth off of my Sam and we will be golden.”

Dean was smiling, and his words might have been light, but Benny wasn’t a fool. He could see the steel in Dean’s eyes, and he didn’t miss the way Dean’s hand tightened and then relaxed on the deadly knife in his hands. Benny had seen firsthand just what Dean could do with that blade, and he didn’t want to cross him or make him his enemy.

“Good luck in finding your Sam.”

“I don’t need luck; there is no one in this world that can find anyone better than I can find that boy.” Dean knew it sounded boastful but it was the truth; he could find Sam anywhere that kid went.

* * *

 

 

"Sir, we have received word that Dean Winchester has returned from wherever he was and is on the hunt looking for his brother."

"Wonderful." Crowley knew that once Sam failed to get in contact with his brother he would be stuck dealing with a gun-happy Squirrel. "I'll deal with Dean. You make sure that nothing happens to Sam while I'm gone, or I will hand you over to Dean on a silver platter." Crowley couldn't stop his sigh at the shiver his lowly minion gave at the thought of being left to the mercy of Dean Winchester. _'Seriously, when did I stop being scarier than them?'_

Crowley wondered how this could happen. He was supposed to be the feared King of Hell! He was the only one who didn't underestimate those nightmares in flannel, yet here he was babysitting one.


	3. Chapter 3

Sam was missing. Every single one of their contacts hadn’t heard from him, and Dean knew that something was wrong - Sam wouldn’t just up and disappear without leaving a clue to help Dean find him.

“Hang on Sammy; I’m going to find you.” Dean didn’t have a clue where to start looking for Sam, but that had never stopped him before. There wasn’t anyone who knew Sam better than him.

So when he got a message telling him to come to Rufus’ cabin, he felt his heart skip a beat and he sure hoped that car he borrowed could make it there. _‘Man I sure miss my other baby.’_ Dean couldn’t wait to be reunited with Sam and the Impala; it had been too long since he had either one of them under his hands.

* * *

 

 

"Sammy!" Dean could feel his heart pounding in his chest as he entered Rufus’ cabin. It had been too long since he last laid eyes on his brother, but he couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong.

"Sorry, Moose is unable to meet you." Crowley rolled his eyes skyward as he found himself staring down the barrel of Dean's gun.

"Really?" With a flick of his hand, the gun was yanked out of Dean's hand and into his own. Still, Crowley wasn't surprised when he found himself pinned against the wall with a pissed off Dean in his face.

"What have you done with Sam?" Dean snarled out, slamming Crowley’s head against the wall.

"If you want answers, I suggest you release me." Crowley could see the war raging within Dean, until the need to know where his brother was ultimately won.

"Talk," Dean ordered gruffly as he let Crowley go and took a step back from the demon.

Straightening out the wrinkles to his suit, Crowley could sense a new hardness to Dean. He would have to tread carefully; this wasn't the same Dean Winchester who’d went...  wherever he did. This one was even more dangerous than the one that left.

"I've done nothing to Sam. You have a witch to thank for that. I've been looking after our dear Moose."

"What happened to Sam?" Dean could feel his grip on his anger and fear slipping the longer Crowley remained silent. "Talk, now! Because I don't think you want to experience the new tricks I picked up in Purgatory."

Now that set alarm bells off in Crowley’s head. For Dean to have survived _there_ he would have had to improve on his already legendary hunting skills. Humans did not survive Purgatory.

Reaching into his suit jacket, Crowley rolled his eyes as Dean let out a growl.

"Easy there, tiger, I'm just giving you piece of paper that contains the address to where Sam is."

The moment the piece of folded paper appeared in Crowley's fingers, Dean snatched it out of his grasp. Rage-filled green eyes glared dangerously in Crowley's direction.

"This better not be a trick," Dean snarled, his whole body humming with danger.

"It's not. If you don't believe me, call that pretty sheriff of yours." Having done his good deed, Crowley wasn't going to wait around for Dean to unleash all his pent up rage; no Dean could use that against the witch when he found her. “But you might want to deal with that other name first; if you wait until you see dear Sam, there might not be much left of her.”

Dean knew that Crowley would bail the moment he gave him the address; the demon had a high sense of survival. _'Hang on Sammy, I'm coming for you.'_ The fact that Jody was with Sam eased Dean’s worry and he felt just a little better knowing that she was with him, but the other name on the piece of paper had Dean’s interest and he had a feeling that he was going to need some backup.

* * *

 

 

If Benny was surprised that Dean had called him for help, he didn’t show it. He just asked Dean where he wanted to meet and promised he would be there as quickly as he could.

“What do you need brother?”

“I need help. Apparently this chick knows what has happened to my Sam, and according to my source it's better I meet with her first, otherwise she won’t be breathing for long.” Dean might not fully trust Crowley - hell, most of the time he wanted to gank him and be done with him - but he knew that Crowley wouldn’t lie about this, not when he knew firsthand what Dean would do to those who harmed Sam in any way.

Benny could see the war in Dean’s eyes and he knew what the man had chosen before he even opened his mouth.

“But you couldn’t do it; you need to see that Sam is safe first with your own two eyes.”

There was no denying what Benny said was true; Dean needed to see with his own eyes that Sam was okay.

“Let’s do this brother; I’ll follow your lead.” Benny hadn’t met Sam yet, but he felt like he knew him from the way Dean had talked about him and he couldn’t wait to meet the kid.

Taking a deep breath, Dean moved away from the car that he hoped soon he would be able to stop using and moved towards the impressive looking house and knocked on the door.

The side of Dean's jaw clenched tightly as he found himself face-to-face with a gun.

"Hey, Jody, nice to see you again,” he drawled out as he smiled at the woman. “How about you move the gun out of my face?”

Jody wasn't a fool; Dean and Sam had taught her well.

"Yeah, nice try. I'm not letting you in until you prove yourself to me."

Dean couldn't have been prouder. He knew that Sam was safe with her.

“Have it your way, Jody.”

Jody watched, never once lowering the shotgun in her hands, until Dean had passed all of the tests that he and Sam had taught her. Lowering her gun, Jody let a smile cross her face as she moved to hug him.

"Dean, it's so good to see you again."

It had been so long since Dean had felt the touch of another human, and while he wished it was Sam that he got to hug first, Jody was nice too.

“It’s good to see you again, too, Jody.”

"Sam really has missed you," Jody whispered in Dean's ear as she pulled back and smiled at him. "And he's not the only one. Now for your friend..." She gestured towards the man standing behind Dean.

"Yeah, about him," Dean drawled out. "This is Benny and he's a vampire." Shooting his hand out, Dean grabbed the barrel of Jody's gun and aimed it back downwards. "Look, I can't explain right now, but trust me - he is a good guy."

Jody studied Dean and then Benny.

"Fine, but if he does anything to hurt Sam or you, I don't care how good of a friend he is - he will be out on his ass with a bullet in said ass."

A smile tugged at Dean's mouth. That was his Jody.

"Did you shoot Crowley?"

The smile that appeared on Jody's face was answer enough for Dean; still, he did enjoy hearing, "What do you think? Of course, I did. And it felt good." Nodding towards the cabin she was standing in front of, she continued, "You'll find Sam back in the small lagoon behind the cabin."

Raising an eyebrow, Dean shot Jody a look.

"Don't ask me how the King of Hell has this place. I don't really want to know.”

Before Benny could take a step past Jody, he felt the barrel of her gun against his chest and he found himself staring into a pair of dark eyes that promised pain.

"Dean trusts you and that's good enough for me, for now. But if you do anything to hurt either of those boys, I don't care how good of a friend you are to Dean - I will kick your ass," Jody vowed. "And you might not be a good friend to Dean but you will never replace Sam's role in Dean's life and if you are a threat to Sam then Dean will kick your ass; even if it hurts to do so he will because Sam is his whole world."

This wasn't the first time that Benny had heard this speech; Dean had made it very clear in detail what he would do to him if he hurt Sam in any way. The vampire felt touched on Dean's behalf that he and Sam had such protective friends. "You have my word cher, I will not harm a hair on Sam's head."

"You'd be safer to vow to keep your lips and mouth off of Sam; Dean doesn't share." Jody knew how possessive both boys were over one another; they had never learned to share each other with others, and she doubted that they were suddenly going to learn. “You’re staying here with me while those boys have their reunion; there is much they need to talk about.”

A grin appeared on Benny’s face as he took in the fire in Jody’s eyes.

“I have no problem, lass. I would love to get to know you.”

A smirk tugged at the corner of Jody’s lips; she would give the vampire credit - he was charming, but she knew that the Winchesters and she had become immune to such charms.


	4. Chapter 4

Dean wasn't sure what to think as he headed down the path Jody directed him. Different emotions were running through him; he wasn't sure what to think - anger that Sam might have been living it up in this place while he was fighting for his life in Hell's backyard was at the top of his list. Worry was tied with it, because Dean knew Sam, and there was no way that his brother would leave him to rot.

Using the stealth he had picked up in Purgatory, Dean carefully made his way down. He didn’t want Sam to see him until he had figured out what he was feeling; he didn’t want to accidently hurt Sam.

The moment Sam came into view, Dean was unable to move as he drank in the sight of Sam resting on a rock. He could make out small drops of water falling from Sam's hair onto his chest, and Dean wanted nothing more than to lick them off of Sam. Sam always managed to take Dean’s breath away, but the sight of him with his bare chest glinting in the sun with water droplets rolling down his muscles and his tail shimmering beneath the water... he wanted nothing more than to gather Sam into his arms and kiss him senseless. Now, normally it would be the sight of Sam half naked that would stop Dean in his tracks, because that is a sight he likes to take his time viewing. And it was in part that, but the bigger reason was the sun shining off of Sam's… _tail_?

"Sammy?"

Dean hadn't meant to shout, but the last time he saw Sam he did _not_ have a tail.

The last thing Sam had been expecting to hear was Dean’s voice, after a year of him missing. It wasn’t a surprise then that he was so startled by Dean's shout that he fell off the rock and into the water.

Pure worry coursed through Dean as he watched Sam's head disappear beneath the waves.

"Hang on Sammy! I'm coming!" Dean shouted as he kicked off his shoes and began stripping as he raced for the shoreline.

Dean had his jacket and shirts off and was working on his pants when Sam's head popped back above the water.

Sam couldn't breathe. He was sure that once again he had been dreaming - Dean was gone, and until he could find a way to get his legs back he was useless in trying to find him.

“Dean? Is it really you?” Sam asked as he blinked up at his brother and wondering if he had finally lost it. It had been so long since he last saw Dean, he wasn’t sure if he had finally lost his mind due to his wall still being down and the memories of the cage still haunting him.

"Sammy." Dean could see the war in Sam's eyes, see how his little brother so badly wanted to believe that it was him, but knowing he had been tricked before. Wading out into the water, Dean didn't care that he was getting his jeans wet; it had been too long since he last saw Sam and he wasn't about to let him get away. “I’m real Sam, and I’m back.”

A choked sob escaped Sam’s lips and suddenly him having a tail didn’t matter as he closed the distance between him and Dean and clung to his brother. His Dean was back and that was enough for him.

Dean felt more than heard the shuddering breath that Sam took as he buried his nose into Dean’s neck and just breathed in his scent.

“I’m here Sammy, and I’m never leaving you again,” he promised as he tilted Sam’s head up and, dreaming of what had kept him sane in that hell, finally tasted those lips.

The moment he felt Dean’s lips against his own, Sam melted into his brother’s arms and never wanted to leave them (even though he knew that would be impossible given his condition). The kiss was everything Sam had dreamed of and more. Dean’s lips were softer than he’d pictured they would be after being gone so long.

It had been too long since they last kissed and Sam didn't stop the soft sound he made as Dean's lips moved over his. Letting his eyes flutter shut, Sam melted against Dean, safe in the knowledge that Dean was home and he would never hurt him.

Up until his hug with Jody, the last human touch Dean had known was making love to Sam the night before they went to confront Dick. Honestly, there had been times that he didn't think he would ever get home to Sam.

Dean's hand tangled into Sam's hair; he would never say it out loud, but he loved Sam's long locks, loved how he could tug Sam's head back so that he could mark up Sam's neck. Dean had forgotten about the tail he had seen on Sam until his hands drifted down and rested at the top of what should have been Sam’s ass; only this time, instead of flesh he felt scales against his hands.

Three things ran through Dean's mind.

Sam was half naked.

Sam was wet.

Sam was a merman.

_ 'Two out of three isn't bad. And Sam is rocking that tail. _ ' Dean's eyes trailed up and down said tail. _'I wonder how merpeople have sex?'_

"Stop perving on me." Sam could see the lust building in Dean's eyes and he wasn't surprised that Dean found his tail hot. Sam loved it when Dean would look at him like that, just not now. He was a merman.

"Sorry Sammy."

Sam might have bought that if Dean looked sorry.

"You're hot with legs or a tail. But I do miss those long legs of yours, the ones that would wrap around my waist as I thrust into you. The little sounds you would make for me." There were few things Dean loved more than teasing Sam, to get his little brother to beg for his touch.

It was no secret that Dean was an ass and leg man, and Sam had both.

A tiny whimper escaped Sam's lips; he knew what Dean was trying to do, and even though he swore he wouldn't let Dean affect him, Sam was getting turned on.

A calculating look entered Dean's eyes, one that had Sam on guard.

"What?" Sam asked wearily.

"How do you have sex?" Dean mused out loud.

"That is something you will never find out!" Sam huffed out, crossing his arms over his chest and turned around, well, as best he could with a tail in shallow water, even though he hated to be out of Dean’s arms.

Being in Purgatory had made Dean hard - he had to be to survive - but being reunited with Sam, it was easier than he thought to let go. Grinning, Dean moved through the water until his chest was pressed against Sam's back.

"Come on Sammy, you can't tell me that you aren't just a little curious?" Dean whispered in Sam's ear as he wrapped his arms around Sam's waist, resting his hands above Sam's tail.

Sam wanted to deny it, but on a few nights when missing Dean got to be too much, Sam had let his mind drift to wondering what Dean would do to get him to come in this form. But there was no way that Sam was telling Dean that.

But the truth was, he didn’t need to tell Dean; there was no one who could read him better than his brother could.

“Aww don’t be like that Sammy. It's okay to be curious, and I’d be more than willing to help you out,” Dean whispered in Sam’s ear.

Letting out a sigh, Sam knew that he couldn't win against Dean, not when he was like that, and he turned around to face Dean.

"What?" Sam asked when Dean's eyes stayed focused on his chest.

Dean's breath caught in his throat as he reached out shaking fingers and touched the bronze amulet sitting on Sam's chest. Forcing himself to look up, Dean could see the tears shining in Sam's eyes as he whispered, "You kept it."

Sam could see the emotions swimming in Dean's eyes and he gave him a watery smile.

"I pulled it out of the trashcan and kept it in hopes that someday you would ask for it back." The last thing Sam wanted to do was to cause Dean pain but he couldn't keep the hurt out of his voice.

"I thought I lost the right to hold it when I tossed it away. I was an ass when I did that. No matter what was happening between the two of us, I should have never tossed away the symbol of our bond. Can you forgive me, Sammy?"

"I already did. That was a rough time for both of us. Heaven and Hell were doing their best to rip us apart but in the end, they still lost, and we proved to be stronger than all of them." Reaching up, Sam removed the amulet from around his neck and held it out to Dean.

With shaky hands, Dean reached out for it and with a smile placed the amulet back where it belonged.

"Thanks, Sam, I didn't feel whole without it." He leaned in to kiss Sam again.

"Okay, why am I not surprised to find the two of you like this?" Jody would have been more shocked if she showed up to find Sam and Dean apart instead of walking in on what appeared to be Dean trying to seduce Sam.

Sam made to move out of Dean’s arms only to have him tighten his grip on him as he nuzzled behind Sam’s ear.

“Don’t hide baby boy, I want to see you.” Dean loved the shiver that coursed through Sam’s body.

“Are you sure it’s really him, Jody?” Sam couldn’t help but call out.

"It's really him, Sam. I wouldn't have let him through if it wasn't," Jody reassured Sam with a wink.

Dean let out a small growl as he promised, “I’ll let you run your own test on me later.” Loving the faint flush that appeared on Sam’s cheeks, he raised his voice. “Now that that’s settled, how about you tell me who did this to you so I can hunt them down and get a cure to turn you back. Not that I’m not loving the tail, but I really want my Sam back.”

Sam had known that question was coming, and he had no clue how to tell Dean how he had reached so low while he was gone that he had been on the edge of ending it all when he had gotten turned into a merman.

“Maybe you can get some answers, because I’ve tried and he’s been quiet about the whole thing,” Jody voiced from her spot and sent Sam a look with how displeased she was with the whole thing.

“Sam.” The moment Dean said his name in that tone of voice that held an edge of a warning to it, Sam knew that he was in trouble.

Dean refused to be swayed by Sam’s sagging shoulders and the puppy-dog eyes he flashed his way. He was not going to be moved, not this time. The pout that crossed Sam’s lips was almost enough to make Dean change his mind but this time he stayed strong.

“Talk, Sam.”

Letting out a sigh, Sam knew that there was no way of getting out of this. Dean would not rest until he found a cure, and any information he could give him would help him in his quest.

“It was a witch. I was at the end of my rope. I had given up all hope of finding you Dean, and his taunts were driving me to the edge.” Sam didn’t need to say who ‘he’ was; Dean knew from the way he tightened his grip on him even more. “I couldn’t do it in Baby.”

It killed Dean to hear these words coming from Sam, to know that his baby brother had been so close to ending it all. He wasn’t sure what he would have done if he had come back to find Sam gone. _‘That’s a lie. I would have hunted down Death and begged him to bring Sam back to me; if he couldn’t then I would have joined Sam either by Death’s hand or my own.’_ Dean had lived life without Sam and it had been a nightmare; he couldn’t do it again, he wasn’t strong enough. Dean was so lost in thought that he almost missed Sam’s next few words.

“I hit a dog.”

“You hit a dog? Were you okay? Is Baby okay?” Dean could see that Sam was fine, well as fine as someone could be, being a merman, but earlier would have been so much different and then there was the matter of his car. Sam’s lips pressed softly against his, stopping Dean’s worry for a moment.

“Yes, I hit a dog,” Sam continued once he was sure Dean was a little calmer. “The Impala and I were both okay, but I felt horrible about the dog and I couldn’t leave it to suffer.”

Dean knew that Sam wouldn’t do it; it wasn’t in him to watch anyone or any animal suffer.

“I know, baby boy, and I don’t blame you. Tell me what happened next,” Dean asked gently.

“I found a vet that was open and I took him in and begged for help. There was this woman there. She accused me of hitting the dog on purpose. I did my best to reassure her that I didn’t mean to hit the dog. Once I was sure that the dog was going to be okay I hoped to leave it with her and head out to my task, but she wouldn’t let me.” Sam couldn’t understand why that woman hadn’t let him do what he wanted to do until he’d realized what she had planned.

Dean was thankful for this woman he didn’t know. What he would have done if no one had been there to stop Sam from doing the unthinkable!

“I called the dog Riot, and Amelia was the vet who wouldn’t leave me alone. I couldn’t understand why until she kissed me,” Sam admitted in a small voice, looking anywhere but at Dean, as he knew what his brother was going to say.

Dean couldn’t blame the woman for wanting to kiss Sam - after all, he was very kissable - but Sam’s lips along with the rest of Sam belonged to him.

“She is a dead woman.”

“Whoa there, hotshot; before you go planning her death, maybe you should hear what else Sam has to say,” Jody called from her spot as she pinned Dean with a knowing look. She knew that boy, and he was very close to running off to hunt down this Amelia for daring to touch what was his.

The grumble that escaped Dean and the scowl that appeared on Dean’s face were adorable and Sam was very tempted to kiss him again.

“I pushed her away; I didn’t want anyone to kiss me but you. She was angry, so angry, and I should have known something was up... and the next thing I knew, I couldn’t move.” Wrapping his own arms around Dean, Sam knew that the next part would really piss off his brother. “Amelia was muttering something under..." Sam trailed off as he drifted into his memories.

_ Sam stumbled backward as a dizzy spell overtook him quickly. He clung to the table for support as he fought back the urge to be sick. _

_ “What did you do to me?” he managed to get out as he tried to glare at Amelia, only to find that there were two of her. _

_ A taunting smile appeared on Amelia’s face. _

_ “Oh, nothing much - I just placed a spell on you. One that will turn you into a merman.” _

_ Sam wanted to curl up and fade away. How was he suppose to look for Dean when he couldn’t leave the water and he had no legs? And with Bobby gone, he really had no one who could help him. _

"The next thing I know, I'm waking up like this with Crowley standing over me in a bathtub." Sam finished his story once he came back from his memories.

"I knew that son-of-a-bitch had something to do with it." Now Dean really wished that he had buried his demon blade in Crowley's chest.

Sam wouldn't lie - he loved it when Dean got possessive like that - but sadly he couldn't watch Dean kick Crowley's ass over this.

"No, actually he wasn't. Crowley got me away from Amelia. We owe him."

The idea of owing Crowley anything left a bad taste in Dean's mouth, but he would do what Sam wanted, for now. But now Dean had another problem. He was torn - on the one hand, he wanted to hunt down the witch who did this to Sam; on the other, he didn't want to leave Sam. Not that he didn't trust Jody, but he had just got Sam back and he wasn't ready to leave his side.

Jody once again proved that she knew her boys.

"Dean, stay here with Sam. I'll go hunt this witch down. I'll even take your friend Benny with me." It was unspoken, _'if you trust him.'_

Dean would be forever thankful that Jody had come into their lives.

"Thanks, Jody. Benny, can you go with her?"

Benny met Jody's eyes and he wasn't surprised to see steel in them; he knew that this woman was no pushover.

"I'd be honored if you would trust me, brother."

The moment the word ‘brother’ fell from Benny's lips, Dean felt Sam stiffen in his arms. He knew his Sam, and he knew well that he did not like the idea of someone else calling him brother; Dean felt the same way when it came to someone else calling Sam brother. He needed to do his best to reassure Sam that no one could or would ever replace him.

Jody saw the look in Dean's eyes and knew that the boys needed a moment alone.

"Come on, let's get going, bitey, we have a road trip. Oh, and keep your fangs to yourself because Dean might see you as a friend, but you come near me and I will rip them out before you know what is happening," Jody informed Benny with a smile on her face.

Benny raised an eyebrow, a smile tugging at his lips. He was going to enjoy working with Jody.

A chuckle escaped Dean's lips as he watched Benny follow behind Jody. He sure hoped his friend knew what he was getting into.

"I sure hope your new friend heeds Jody's advice." Sam knew that there was a little bitterness in his voice, but he couldn't help it - he had never learned to share Dean with others.

"You're so cute when you are jealous," Dean couldn't help but point out as he pressed himself closer to Sam, not that there was much space left between them. "I might consider him a brother, but he will never be you. There can only be one Sam in my life."

Sam's heart fluttered as Dean slowly stroked his cheek. He knew what Dean said was the truth; no one would ever be able to replace the other in their hearts, and Ash was right when he told them that they were soulmates. They couldn't live without each other.

“I’m going to fuck you into the mattress once we cure you and we won’t be leaving the hotel room for a week,” Dean growled out his promise.

Sam shivered not only at Dean’s promise, but at the heat in his eyes.

“I hope that you keep your word.”

"Oh, I will, baby boy, and so much more," Dean promised as he tucked Sam in closer to him. The cool water lapping against his skin didn't bother him all that much; it had been a long time since he’d felt it, and to have Sam back in his arms he would stand in the middle of the dessert or a fire.


	5. Chapter 5

Jody had no love for Crowley, and if she saw him again she would most likely shoot him - not that it would do much damage unless she was aiming for his head, but it would make her feel good - but she would admit that he did prove to be useful once and awhile.

Now, Jody had planned to be nice and on her best behavior to talk to the woman to find out if she had really been involved, but when the door opened, closing the distance between them, Jody said nothing as she let her fist fly and punched Amelia in the jaw.

"That was for turning Sam. Once you get back on your feet I'll punch you again for keeping Sam a prisoner in your bathroom until he managed to get help."

Jody knew she could be overprotective of her boys. She just couldn't help herself; they had suffered and lost so much, and it wasn't surprising that they clung to each other.

A small whistle reminded Jody that she wasn't alone as Benny stepped up beside her.

"I think we better take her back to the boys before you do some real damage to her."

"I have no clue who you people are but I'm calling the cops," Amelia spat out.

"Oh, sweetheart, don't think us fools. We know who you are and we know what you did to my dear Moose," Crowley drawled out from behind Amelia.

"Who the hell do you think you are? And put that down!" Amelia snapped as Crowley poured himself a glass of wine.

"I'm the King of Hell, my dear witch, and you did a serious crime by turning a Winchester into a merman. Not that I blame you - him being wet is a delightful sight, but I'm afraid to say that his big brother is rather on the possessive side and doesn't like to share." Crowley was enjoying this far too much.

He wasn't a fool; he’d survived this long by not underestimating the nightmares in flannel. So when Dean disappeared along with the angel, he knew that Dean would find his way back. And if something were to happen to his dear Sam, well, Crowley had seen firsthand what happened to those who harmed a single hair on Sam's head. So he’d made sure to keep his eyes on Sam, but then that blasted witch had to set her sights on the younger Winchester and Crowley just knew that she was going to be a pain in his ass.

_ 'And I was right.' _ The moment Crowley had stared down at the unconscious form of the youngest Winchester, who had a rather fetching looking tail, he had known that there would be trouble once Dean got back.

"Dean Winchester is dead." Every contact she had said the same thing - that Dean Winchester was gone, and it left his precious baby brother open. The moment Amelia found Sam, she had known it to be true; the youngest Winchester was a broken mess without his brother and easy prey for her and others who wanted to be the one to brag about taking out a Winchester. Turning him into a merman was a sudden decision, but it made him an even more fetching prize.

"Oh no, Dean is back and you are at the top of his list." There was no mistaking the glee in Jody's voice as she told Amelia that little piece of news.

For the first time since she had targeted Sam, Amelia felt worry filling her and she reacted on instinct as a spell began to fall from her lips.

"Sorry love, none of that." With a snap of his fingers, Crowley silenced Amelia before the first bits of her spell could fall from her lips and witch cuffs appeared on her hands, binding her magic. "Now, I believe that you have an irate elder Winchester to meet."

Jody wasn't sure what to think when Amelia disappeared.

“Where did she go?" Jody demanded.

"She's been specially delivered to the Winchesters. Please tell Dean that he owes me." Crowley winked at Jody and then turned his attention to Benny. "You, I might like you. You are going to bring out the jealousy in the younger Winchester and that is going to be fun to watch. Till next time." With smirk, Crowley was gone.

"I really hate it when he does that," Jody growled under her breath. Benny didn't want to tell her how much she sounded like Dean - he liked being undead.

"Shall we head back?" Benny asked, nodding towards the car that was waiting for them.

"I think we can take our time. Trust me, you do not want to interrupt Sam and Dean when they are in the middle of their reunion. Let's do lunch or what passes for lunch with you." Jody patted Benny on the shoulder as she passed.

Benny couldn't fight back his grin; he was enjoying his time with Jody, but a part of him wouldn't have minded getting a chance to see Dean and Sam lost in each other.

* * *

 

 

Laid out on the same rock that Sam had been on when he first arrived, Dean was enjoying the sight of Sam moving through the water. He licked his lips and he wouldn't lie - he couldn't wait to lick the water off of Sam's chest.

When a small sound reached Dean's ears, forcing him to take his eyes off Sam and move them to the woman who appeared out of nowhere, the top of his lips curled into a deadly grin.

"Crowley, you son-of-a-bitch, it looks like I owe you." Making sure that Sam was too busy, Dean moved towards the small beach.

Amelia Richardson climbed to her feet, rubbing her sore throat and vowing to hunt down the so-called King of Hell, only to take a step back as she found herself with a gun in her face; her eyes flickered over the barrel to see herself staring into the emerald eyes of Dean Winchester.

“You’re supposed to be dead.”

“What did you do to my brother?” Dean growled out instead as he resisted the urge to shoot the woman in the head.

“I’m sure I have no clue as to who you are talking about.” The last she had heard was that Dean had disappeared with no chance to return. It was why she targeted Sam; the poor boy was lost without his brother and easy prey for her. But now she was face to face with Dean and his wrath.

A smirk curled on Dean's lips as he spat out, “Sam wouldn’t sleep with you.”

Amelia could only stare in shock at Dean.

“No! Sam was broken; your death destroyed him - he was easy prey.”

“What did you do to my brother?!” Dean snarled as he cocked the gun at Amelia. "I won't ask again."

“I turned him into a merman, what does it look like?” Amelia taunted while rolling her eyes.

For a moment Dean could only blink before his rage came rushing back to him.

“I know that - and all because he wouldn’t sleep with you. Lady, you have got some issues to work on. I want to know how to turn him back."

“I have issues? Your precious Sammy couldn’t see anything but you; he was a broken mess. I saved him; he was close to stepping over the edge. He would have been dead if it wasn’t for me,” Amelia shot back.

_ ‘He would have been dead.’  _ That statement sent Dean reeling; there was no way that Sam had been that bad, right?

A dark chuckle escaped Amelia’s lips as she took in Dean’s shock. “You don’t even see it - Sam is in love with you; you are the other half of his soul. He couldn’t find you; he had no way of bringing you back, and it left something broken inside of him.”

Dean knew all of this. After that mess with Ruby, and his past with Lisa, Dean had thought that they could never once again have what they did. There had been a time when he would have never dared to dream or to hope that Sam might feel the same way as he did. He had wanted nothing more than to make Sam his - it had eaten him up when Sam fell for someone else - but when Sam admitted that he loved him more than he should as a brother, Dean had spent the night showing Sam he wasn't alone.

“You’d be wrong if you thought Sam was alone in his feelings. There is no one I love more than that kid, and he is mine. He has been mine since the first time I held him. I will rip apart this world to find him if I need to.” Dean pressed the gun closer to Amelia's forehead. "The only reason you’re not dead yet is because you are going to tell me how to turn Sam back into a man.”

“What makes you think I’ll help you?” Amelia refused to show fear over the fact that she couldn't access her magic.

“Because you know I’m a man of my word, and I will give you a slow and painful death using everything I learned in Hell at Alistair’s hands; I will let your pleas stir me on. I will make you beg for death over and over again until I get tired of your voice and rip out your vocal cords,” Dean growled out, and Amelia knew he meant every word.

“Well, too bad, you’re out of luck. I have no clue where your brother is. He is long gone." Amelia hoped that while Dean hunted down Sam it would give her enough time to make her escape.

The last thing that she expected to see was a smirk curl on Dean's lips as he nodded over his shoulder.

"You mean that Sam?"

Any chance of escape fled as Amelia watched the sight of Sam's powerful arms move through the water, and she could feel the lust building again just like she had the first time she laid eyes on Sam.

"This isn't possible. How could you have found him?!"

Out of the corner of his eye, Dean could see the moment Sam heard Amelia's voice in the way that he stopped swimming and just seemed to be floating there.

“The King of Hell knew that if anything happened to Sam while I was gone, I would have hunted him down and used him to show every little thing I picked up in Hell, so he did his best to keep an eye on Sam. That is no joke lady; I have seen things that would give you nightmares, and if you don't turn my brother back to normal I will keep my promise and make you know pain like no one living has ever experienced," Dean growled.

Amelia knew she was beaten; the Winchester was one of the most feared hunters to live, and with the cuffs on her arms she was powerless to stop them.

"It won't be easy."

"I don't care. You turned him, you fix him," Dean demanded once again, feeling the urge to shoot her where she stood. But he wouldn’t do that, at least not until Sam was himself once again - then he would figure out what to do with her. _‘Hell, I already know what I want to do with her.’_ It wasn’t often that Dean liked to call out his experiences in Hell, but when it came to keeping Sam safe he was more than willing to do whatever it took.

Holding up her hands, Amelia rattled the cuffs on her wrists as she pouted at Dean.

“A little hard to do anything while cuffed.”

A laugh escaped Dean’s lips.

“Lady, you must think I’m stupid. There is no way I am letting you go. You don’t need magic to fix this. Oh, and if you dare to even look at my Sam funny, it will be the last thing you do.”

Amelia knew a promise when she heard one, and Dean Winchester wasn’t a man to make them lightly.

Dean was torn; he wanted nothing more than to return to the rock he had been resting on, watching Sam as he moved through the water, waiting for the moment when Sam would swim up to him - a shy, almost bashful look in his eyes, and a shy smile on his lips - and Dean would once again find his breath taken with the knowledge that Sam was his. That, out of everyone they had ever met, Sam loved him and wanted to spend his life with Dean. But on the other hand, he couldn’t leave Amelia unattended; she was a witch and their enemy - after all, she had been the one to turn Sam into a merman, and while Dean found it pretty hot, he still wanted his Sammy back.

_ ‘Man, I hope that Jody and Benny get back soon; I know that they would happily keep an eye on Amelia for me while I made sure Sam was okay.’  _ Dean knew from the way Sam was treading water but keeping his distance from the shore that he wasn’t coming any closer. Not that Dean would want him to; he wanted Sam as far away from Amelia as he could possibly get while staying within eyesight of Dean.

The corner of Amelia’s lips curled up into a small smirk as she noticed as well that Sam was keeping his distance from her.

“I want your word, Dean, that when I have turned Sam backed to normal you will let me go, unharmed.” She refused to let any fear show as the weight of Dean’s full rage and anger was once again directed at her. “If you don’t promise me my freedom then I won’t help Sam.”

Dean’s jaw clenched so tightly he was surprised that he didn’t break it. He wanted nothing more than to put a bullet in her head, to be rid of her and to pay her back for all the pain she’d caused Sam. But the truth of it was, he knew that she wouldn’t do anything until he gave his word - and even though it pained him, he forced out, “Get to work sweetheart. The sooner my brother is back to being normal, the sooner you’re out of our sights.”

For a moment Amelia and Dean just stared at one another, neither willing to be the one to look away first. They both knew that their truce was only temporary, one that would only last until Sam was back to normal, and then it would be left to fate to see who got off the first and possibly only shot.


	6. Chapter 6

The air was heavy with tension so thick that Jody wanted nothing more than to turn right back around and leave, but for the puppy-dog eyes Sam threw her way. _‘Damn you, Winchester, those eyes should be considered a lethal weapon.’_ Jody dared anyone to be able to look at those eyes and say no.

“Powerful aren’t they?” Dean knew better than most people just how effective Sam’s puppy-eyes of doom were; even though he had lived with Sam all of their lives, he still hadn’t built up a resistance to them.

“That boy could rule the world with them,” Jody muttered under her breath. It was a good thing that Sam used them for good.

Dean refused to think of what Sam would have been like as his soulless self and Azazel’s Boy King if he had used the power of his puppy eyes.

“I need you to keep an eye on our guest. Sam is refusing to come near her and I don’t blame him one bit.”

Jody wasn’t surprised at that piece of news, and if it had been her she wouldn’t have wanted to be within a hundred feet of the woman who had given her a tail.

“I will gladly punch her again if I need to.” No one messed with Jody’s boys, not even witches.

That earned a chuckle from Dean as he wrapped his arms around her and gave her a sideways hug. Dean adored Jody and her protective side.

“I know you will, and I hope I am there to see it this time.”

“Even if you aren’t, I’ll be sure to film it for you,” Benny piped up from his spot behind Jody.

“Well look at you, already figuring out the technology.” Dean was pretty impressed. His gaze turned back to Jody. “I have a feeling that you had something to do with this.”

“Well, we had a long trip back and forth - we had to kill the time somehow. I figured it would do him some good to know about how the way world works so he wouldn’t be completely lost.” Jody liked Benny; he wasn’t bad for a vampire, and she wanted him to fit in. Dean wouldn’t have time; all his focus was on Sam which meant nothing and no one else mattered or even registered right now.

“Thank you, Jody, for everything.” Dean wasn’t just talking about helping Benny out, but for looking after Sam when he wasn’t around to do so, too.

“You boys are family and I will do anything for family.” Jody had already lost her son and husband; she had been powerless to save them, but she would do whatever she could to protect Sam and Dean. “Go; I’ll keep an eye on our guest. I’m sure Sam is as anxious for you to get back to him as you are.” Jody knew them well and she knew that they couldn’t be apart for long.

Dean wasn’t going to lie to Jody - there was no point, and she knew them too well.

“Thanks, Jody.” Giving her one last smile, Dean headed back towards the lagoon where Sam was waiting for him.

Jody waited until Dean was far enough away to focus all of her attention on Amelia.

“And you - get back to work. I have faced the King of Hell himself and other horrors, so a witch like you is nothing compared to all of that. So if you do anything to hurt my boys, it will be the last thing you ever do. You might have a deal with Dean in place, but you don’t have one with me and I will make your life a living hell if you try anything.” Jody hadn’t realized that she had been taking steps forwards and that Amelia had been stepping backward until the other woman hit the wall and had Jody in her face. “Do you understand me?”

“I understand,” Amelia forced out; she knew that she was walking a slippery slope. Right now Dean couldn’t do anything to her, but she had heard the tales of what the Winchester brothers had done for one another. And while she had heard the tales of the eldest Winchester being in Hell, she hadn’t believed them until she found herself looking into Dean’s cold, hard eyes and she knew they were no stories. She also knew by looking into Jody’s eyes that Dean wasn’t the only one she had to watch out for.

* * *

 

 

Relief filled Sam as Dean returned to the water. Truth was, he didn’t want Dean anywhere near Amelia. Don’t get him wrong - he knew that his brother could look after himself, but Sam just couldn’t feel comfortable with Dean so close to her, not after everything she’d done to him.

Dean could see the relief in Sam’s eyes and he knew how he was feeling - he hated the idea of being separated from Sam so soon after getting him back.

“Hey, sorry for being gone so long, but everything is set now. Jody’s back and more than happy to keep an eye on Amelia,” Dean murmured as he made himself comfortable on the rock above Sam again. He held out a hand for Sam, one that Sam didn’t hesitate to take, and he allowed Dean to pull him up onto the rock where Sam happily snuggled against Dean’s side.

“Do you think it will take Amelia long to cure me?” Sam asked as he reached up his hand to wrap around the amulet that was once again where it belonged on Dean’s chest.

Stroking along Sam’s back above his tail, Dean gazed down at Sam.

“Not if she knows what is good for her.” Dean wanted Amelia out of their lives, and the sooner the better. He wanted his Sam back as well. He didn’t mind the tail, but it had been too long since he was able to worship every inch of Sam’s body; it had been the thought of returning to Sam that kept him going and he wanted, no, needed Sam beneath him again, and soon.

Sam could see the building heat in Dean’s eyes, and he knew that his own lust must be showing as well from the way Dean groaned and rested his forehead against Sam’s.

“When this is all over, baby boy, I will be locking us away for a week,” Dean growled out as he tugged Sam closer.

Sam couldn’t help but shiver as Dean’s lips brushed across his. Then Dean claimed his mouth and Sam melted into Dean’s embrace. _‘I don’t think a week is going to be long enough.’_ That was Sam’s last coherent thought as Dean proceeded to show him what was coming his way once he was human again.

* * *

 

 

It took till the end of the week before Amelia finally announced that the cure was ready. Jody and Benny had volunteered to get what Amelia needed to undo her spell, both knowing that Dean wasn’t going anywhere. Dean was more than convinced that she had been stalling, and he really couldn’t blame her even he wasn’t sure what he wanted her fate to be.

“I’ll need you to remove my cuffs; there is a spell that needs to be read and I need my magic.” Raising her hands, Amelia rattled the cuffs, pissed off that she was still in them.

“They know, love, that’s why they asked me here,” Crowley drawled out as he appeared behind Amelia. “Well, this is unexpected,” Crowley murmured as he took in the marks that decorated Sam’s neck. “If I’d known you had this kind of kink, I would have done it long ago,” the demon taunted.

The growl that Dean let out was one that Sam shouldn’t have found hot at all, but it was, and he felt arousal shoot through him. He couldn’t wait to be normal once again.

Amelia knew she couldn’t do anything, not with a demon there.

“You remember our deal, Winchester - I go free once Sam is back to normal.” Amelia wasn’t going to do anything until she had Dean’s promise. “Either you let me go, or Sam keeps his tail.”

Dean Winchester hated being threatened; he hated it even more when it was Sam who was being threatened, and it took everything in his power not to pull out his gun. But one look at Sam and he knew that his brother couldn’t stay like that. So with his jaw clenched, he forced out, “Our deal still stands. But if you try anything, you are a dead woman,” Dean promised.

“Understood.” For the first time since she had been there, Amelia took steps towards Sam with Dean right beside her.

It took everything in Sam not to move away from Amelia as she drew closer to him; he would never feel comfortable with her getting close to him.

“I’m right here, little brother, and I am not going anywhere,” Dean promised when he saw the flash of fear that appeared in Sam’s eyes.

Relief filled Sam knowing that Dean would be there no matter what happened.

“Okay.”

Standing above Sam, Amelia began to chant, lifting the spell from Sam. _‘Too bad - he made a handsome merman.’_

Dean watched, never taking his eyes off Sam, and it tore him apart to stay put as Sam’s body arched and twisted, as his tail turned back into legs; the moment the first scream left Sam’s mouth was the true test, to not take out Amelia then and there. It went on for agonizing moments, and every second it lasted Dean wanted to call it off.

“Sammy!” The moment Amelia took a step back and Sam’s tail was gone and his legs were back, Dean was shoving Amelia aside to gather his baby brother into his arms, stroking Sam’s matted hair off his forehead.

“He’ll wake up soon; it’s not an easy transition to change from merman back to human,” Amelia commented as she moved out of the water, already sick of Dean’s fawning over Sam. “Now I believe I should be free to go?”

“Guess again,” Benny drawled out as he appeared in front of Amelia. “You aren’t going anywhere until we are sure that Sam is back to normal.” Benny knew that there was no way Dean would let her go until he was sure that Sam was cured. “Do you need any help brother?” Benny called as he watched Dean gather up Sam.

_ ‘Even while knocked out you don’t like the idea of someone else calling me brother, do you?’  _ Dean thought fondly as he saw Sam’s eyebrows furrow together the moment Benny called him brother.

“I’ve got him Benny; just keep an eye on her.” Dean knew he had bulked up while being in Purgatory, but he was surprised at how easily he could lift Sam. It worried him that Sam hadn’t been looking after himself while he had been gone. Plus, he wasn’t sure he could handle seeing someone else’s hands on Sam so soon.

Dean did nod his thanks to Jody as she held open the door for him; he knew that there had been no way that he would have been able to juggle that as well as his armful of not-so-little brother. He was thankful that there was a bedroom on the first floor down the hallway from the living room. Dean might have done some foolish things in the past, but even he wasn't fool enough to try and climb the stairs with Sam in his arms.

Then there was the other problem of Sam's warm breath brushing against his neck. It had been too long since Dean was buried inside of his little brother's welcoming body, and he wasn't sure how much more torture he could take; he knew that Sam needed to rest but, damn it, Dean wanted to finally celebrate his return the proper way.

Reaching the bedroom, Dean placed Sam down as gently as he could. He could feel his heart easing at the sight of Sam's peaceful face; he was thrilled to see Sam free from pain.

"Baby Boy, I need you to wake up, and soon. I don't know what to do with Amelia. No, that's a lie - I do know what I want to do to her, but I gave her my word that I wouldn't." Dean knows that he should be getting back to the others, but he couldn't leave Sam, not until he was awake and he heard with his own ears from Sam's mouth that he was okay.

Decision made, Dean made himself comfortable on the bed. While he wasn't a cuddler - when it came to Sam, those rules went out the door - he tugged Sam into his arms so that his face was tucked into Dean's neck.

"Wake up soon little brother."


	7. Chapter 7

No one was surprised that Dean didn't come back out after making sure that Sam was tucked away safely. Jody, though, made sure that Dean got something to eat as she took him in some lunch - a lunch that she left on the table as she watched Dean and Sam sleep curled up around one another. She did her best not to make any noise; the last thing she wanted was to disturb them or wake them up.

+****+

Dean was having the best dream in the world: Sam's mouth was working its magic on him as he worked his way down Dean's body.

"Dean. Dean, wake up, big brother. I don't want you to miss the show," Dream Sam teased as he drifted his hands up Dean's shirt to lightly scrape his nails along Dean's abs.

It took Dean a second - sleeping, really sleeping, meant your head in Purgatory, so Dean had to adjust - and the moment it hit him that he had a wide awake little brother on his lap, sleep was gone from him.

"Sammy? You're okay?" Dean trailed his eyes over every inch of Sam, followed by his hands, which wasn't easy given that Sam was on his lap.

A soft smile, the smile that only Dean got to see, appeared on Sam's face.

"Yeah, I'm okay, Dean. I'm back to normal."

That had Dean hiking an eyebrow, and a little noise escaped Sam's mouth as he found himself flipped over so that he was the one underneath Dean.

"Oh, I think I need to give you a full body check just to make sure." Dean knew that they had to deal with Amelia, but right now nothing was more important than making sure Sam was okay.

The dirty smile that appeared on Sam's face sent a wave of pure lust through Dean, lust that was only heightened as Sam wiggled his body against his. _'Oh yeah, Amelia could wait.'_ Nothing was more important to Dean in this moment than making sure Sam was okay. Stroking his thumb over Sam's lower lip, Dean claimed Sam's mouth with his own.

* * *

 

 

"How much longer am I going to be stuck here? The spell should have worn off by now." Amelia was bored and she wanted to get away from these people.

"It has." A smirk appeared on Benny's face as the sounds coming from the house reached him. "It sounds like Dean is giving Sam a full body check-up just to make sure that everything is back where it belongs and there are no other hidden surprises," Benny informed them.

"Okay, we will be staying out here for a while." Jody knew all about the boys’ relationship with one another and it didn't bother her, but she thought of them as her boys and she did not need to walk in on them in the act; that would be awkward for everyone.

Letting out a growl, Amelia sunk back into her seat. The moment the spell had been finished, the cuffs had been put back on and she was trapped there until Dean or Sam gave the word that she was let go. She wasn't a fool though - it was all up to Sam if she was free to go or not; only he could decide her fate.

* * *

 

 

Sam was in heaven, or as close to heaven as he’d ever gotten, wrapped up in Dean's arms.

"So I take it I'm back to normal?"

Grinning, Dean ran his hand down to rest upon the ass he had just been in and gave it a squeeze, loving the yelp and then glare he got from his brother.

"I'd like to give you another full body check-up, but it looks like you are okay," Dean said with a wiggle of his eyebrows.

Sam would love nothing more than to stay put in Dean's arms, but there was still something to discuss.

"We need to talk about what we should do with Amelia."

"I already know what I want to do to her, I'm just not sure if you would agree to it," Dean muttered out as he instinctively tightened his grip on Sam.  

Sam could understand what Dean was feeling; if this had been Dean who had been cursed he would have never let her go.

"We can't let her go, can we?" Letting a witch go, one that already had tried to attack them - who is to say that she wouldn't do it again? - was a bad idea.

"I gave her my word, Sam, but that was only until you were turned back." Dean knew that unless they could bind her magic, there was no way to let her go.

* * *

 

 

"They are deciding your fate, my dear, and it doesn't look good," Crowley murmured as he appeared next to Amelia. He liked the witch - anyone who could mess with the Winchesters was someone he'd like to keep an eye on.

"I knew that before they disappeared. You don't live long if you mess with one of the Winchester brothers as long as the other one is around. That's why I tried when Sam was alone." Amelia wasn't a fool; she knew her fate.

"But my dear, you didn't count on me." Crowley grinned as Amelia's eyes turned to him. "I can always use another witch, especially one that has messed with the boys so much. Work for me and I will get you out of here."

"Anything sounds better than death." She held up her cuff-encased hands. "You have a deal."

Taking Amelia's hand in his, Crowley winked at Jody and Benny who had just realized what was happening.

"Tell the boys thank you for the new addition to my collection. I wouldn't have found her without them."

"Crowley, you son of a bitch!" Jody wasn't sure why they were so surprised that Crowley would take off with the witch. Nor was she surprised that her shout brought a very hastily dressed Sam and Dean running.

"What's going on?" Dean demanded, gun in hand as he looked around for any sign of trouble. The moment his eyes landed on the empty spot that Amelia had basically claimed as her own, a growl escaped his lips. "Crowley?"

Benny nodded his head as he informed Dean, "Took her, brother."

Sam tried and failed not to bristle as Benny called Dean brother. Dean had explained who the vampire was and, while he didn't like it, he would do his best to hide his jealousy. After all, he knew that Dean was his.

"We should have known that Crowley would do something like this. A witch who managed to turn one of us into a merman? There is no way that Crowley would let her go."

"Well, we can't do anything about it for now. But Sam, it is so good to see you back to normal." Jody crossed the distance between them and wrapped her arms around Sam.

Dean watched as Sam sunk into Jody's hold, and he turned his attention back to Benny.

"Thanks for your help."

"No problem, brother." Benny pulled Dean into a quick hug, one that had the younger Winchester brother watching. "I'll be seeing you. Keep my number if you need help again."

No one was sure who was more surprised when Sam made a move towards Benny with his hand out to the vampire.

"Thank you for keeping my brother safe. I don't know what I would have done if Dean had been truly lost to me." Sam thanked Benny when the vampire took his hand; he might not like Benny all that much just yet, but he knew Benny played a big role in Dean's survival.

"He had you to come back to - that is what kept him fighting." Benny figured that this was a big step for Sam. "Jody, I'll see you later." Benny knew that he was going to be stopping by to visit from time to time.

"You better. I'll walk you out." Jody could read her boys and she could see that they needed a moment alone.

"That was big of you, Sammy," Dean whispered as he pulled Sam back into his arms. It would be a while until he felt comfortable letting Sam out of his sights.

"As long as Benny knows that I am the only brother you will know in a carnal sense, then I think I could get to like him," Sam admitted.

Cupping Sam's chin in his hand, Dean grinned when Sam gulped as he saw the heat and lust in Dean's eyes.

"Never Sammy. You're the only one I need and the only one I will ever want like this," Dean promised, and he sealed that promise with a kiss underneath the moonlight. Sure, there was still Crowley to deal with, and the fact that he had Amelia in his hands, but none of that mattered at that moment in time but the feel of Sam back in Dean's arms where he belonged.

 


End file.
